The Floodgates of Justice: DILG Chief Vows Arrest of More 'Big Fish' in Corruption Scandal
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor "Jonvic" Remulla announced on Tuesday that authorities are set to arrest more high-profile personalities implicated in the massive flood control corruption scandal within the next five weeks. The move signals an aggressive escalation of the government's anti-corruption drive, promising stringent accountability regardless of political stature.
“Big fish are coming soon. We should expect the Discayas, senators, congressmen in the next five weeks, sunod-sunod na sila (They will be arrested one after the other),” Remulla stated. He firmly dismissed any notion of preferential treatment, adding: “Walang ‘La Catedral’ dito. I-treat sila kagaya ng mga karamihan (There is no La Catedral here. They will be treated like everyone else),” referencing the customized prison built for Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
The First Wave: Plunder, Graft, and Detainment
The initial focus of the crackdown involves the anomalous P289.5-million river dike project in Oriental Mindoro. Of the eight suspects arrested thus far, seven are facing serious charges: plunder, anti-graft violations, and indirect bribery before the 6th and 7th Divisions of the Office of the Ombudsman.
The detained suspects—six males (Gerald Pacanan, Gene Ryan Altea, Ruben delos Santos Jr., Dominic Serrano, Felisardo Casuno, and engineer Dennis Abagon) and one female (Lerma Cayco)—have been committed to Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facilities. BJMP Director Ruel Rivera confirmed that they will receive the same standard treatment, food, water, medical services, and visitation rights as all other inmates.
Another suspect, Juliet Calvo, was allowed to post bail for the lesser charge of falsification of documents. The relentless pursuit of accountability highlights the commitment to recover funds lost to substandard and ghost infrastructure projects.
The International Hunt: Tracking Fugitives Across Global Markets
The dragnet has extended internationally for several suspects who remain at large, including the alleged flood control mastermind and former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co. Remulla detailed the difficulties in locating Co, who is believed to be using two passports.
Philippine National Police (PNP) tracker teams have been deployed after confirming Co's recent movements across multiple international financial hubs in the United States, Europe, Singapore, Spain, Portugal, and Japan. This international search effort requires coordination across jurisdictions, especially given the global nature of tracking sophisticated financial movements and comparing them to currency pairs like the EUR/USD or the volatile GBP/JPY to map out cash flows.
Fugitives currently overseas in the United States and Qatar have been given until Thursday to surrender to the nearest Philippine embassy. Remulla’s message to Co was unequivocal: "Umuwi ka na, kailangan mo managot sa batas (Come home, you need to face the law)." The value of the peso against the USD remains an unofficial indicator of global confidence, underscoring the political and economic gravity of this scandal.
Coddlers and Complicity
PNP acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez issued a strong warning to individuals who may be harboring or assisting the accused, stating that they too would face criminal charges. "Accountability and the rule of law must always prevail... Hindi kailangang madamay at magdusa kayo dito (You don't need to suffer and be dragged into this)," Nartatez cautioned.
The Call for Strategic Integrity and Action
The flood control scandal exposes a systemic failure of governance, where billions in public funds—intended to protect citizens from disasters—were instead channeled for illicit gain. This situation underscores the critical importance of integrity, due diligence, and risk management in any high-stakes environment, whether in public office or the global Forex market.
For those engaging in Forex Trading for Beginners, or pursuing mastery in any complex field, the principle remains: strategic action and comprehensive risk management (protecting capital, avoiding overexposure) are non-negotiable foundations for success. At Global Markets Eruditio (GME Academy), we emphasize that mastering these principles is essential not just for personal profit but for responsible financial citizenship.
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